Read this paragraph from chapter 5 of The Prince.

But when cities or countries are accustomed to live

under a prince, and his family is exterminated, they,

being on the one hand accustomed to obey and on the

other hand not having the old prince, cannot agree in

making one from amongst themselves, and they do not

know how to govern themselves. For this reason they

are very slow to take up arms, and a prince can gain

them to himself and secure them much more easily. But

in republics there is more vitality, greater hatred, and

more desire for vengeance, which will never permit them

to allow the memory of their former liberty to rest; so that

the safest way is to destroy them or to reside there.

Which option best states the main idea of the passage?

O Former republics are more difficult to rule than

hereditary states, and they will rebel if they are not

tightly controlled.

The strategies for controlling hereditary states and

former republics are the same.

Hereditary states come with a history that must be

deeply understood if a new prince is to control them

easily.

Hereditary states never forget their former loyalties,

so they are hard to control.